Decoder side frame rate up-conversion has been studied, and many algorithms have been proposed. In some prior art frame rate up-conversion algorithms, motion vectors of the interpolated frames are predicted (e.g., using motion vector processing or using new motion estimation) from neighboring frames decoded using video data transmitted by the video encoding device. A commonly used strategy is to compute new interpolated motion vectors for the missing or the to-be-interpolated frame based on motion vector information from the neighboring frames to achieve smooth video content transition. Another method is to perform a new motion estimation algorithm that aims to provide more accurate motion vectors. In cases where the predicted motion vectors of the interpolated frame yield inaccurate results, the average pixel values between neighboring decoded frames may be used for the inserted frames.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional prior art frame rate up-conversion technique. In this example, a video decoding device may receive a video stream of encoded video frames. The video decoding device may decode the encoded video stream and output decoded video frames that include the sequence shown in FIG. 1. The sequence may include decoded frames 102 and 104 as reference frames for an interpolated frame 100. Using conventional techniques for frame rate up-conversion, an interpolated frame 100 may be predicted using motion vectors from directly neighboring frames 102, directly before and after the interpolated frame 100, or more distant frames 104 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The frames utilized to predict the interpolated frame 100 may be utilized for motion vector prediction of the interpolated frames. For example, the reference frames could be N neighboring decoded frames (N=1, 2, . . . ). However, determining the motion vectors for prediction of the interpolated frame 100 according to conventional techniques may be computationally complex and inaccurate.